Hope of Commonwealth intervention in the Anglophone crises

The North West and South West Regions of Cameroon are the only link the Commonwealth has with Cameroon so the Commonwealth can not just pret...

The North West and South West Regions of Cameroon are the only link the Commonwealth has with Cameroon so the Commonwealth can not just pretend to sit quite when these regions are in crises. It is in this light that Patricia Scotland, Commonwealth Secretary General, has said she will be in Cameroon by the end of the year to deepen the secretariat’s ongoing engagement with the country’s political leaders.

She said this while speaking to the BBC World Service’s Focus on Africa radio programme on September 2017, Secretary-General Scotland said she welcomed a decision by the Cameroonian government to discontinue charges against detained political leaders.

She said: “I continue to follow the developments in southwest and northwest Cameroon and have had several opportunities to raise concerns – including the allegations of human rights violations – with the government.“On the government’s request, I sent a Commonwealth team to Cameroon in June to discuss how we can assist in the full implementation of its National Governance Strategy, which reflects Commonwealth values of peace, tolerance, respect and understanding.”

In discussions with the government of Cameroon and all stakeholders, the Secretariat has emphasised the need for inclusive and constructive dialogue, the Secretary-General said. The Secretariat was “committing itself to action and not just rhetoric”, she added.

The Secretary General’s announcement is coming at a time when many have condemned Britain’s silence over the plight of English speakers in the country. But the Secretary-General’s statements over the BBC, reveals that the body has been working underground.